UDUPI: Udupi Town police have registered an FIR against BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna over allegedly inflammatory remarks made during a protest against the Congress and CJP on Tuesday. Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the remarks were prima facie categorised as hate speech. The case was registered following a complaint lodged by Udupi District Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor. The FIR invokes Sections 57, 192, 196(2), 351(2), 352 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said. Further legal proceedings will be initiated in connection with the case, police added. Meanwhile, KPCC Working President and MLC Manjunath Bhandary stated that the Karnataka government has taken very seriously the hateful, derogatory and provocative remarks allegedly made by Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. He said all aspects of the matter are being examined and that strict legal action will be initiated against him in accordance with the law. The MLC said the NEET question paper leak, which occurred under the BJP-led Central Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparked nationwide outrage and jeopardised the academic future of lakhs of students. The psychological trauma caused by the incident reportedly drove 21 students to die by suicide, shocking the entire nation. In support of the nationwide student protests against the alleged injustice and condemning the police lathi-charge on protesters, Rahul Gandhi staged a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence, standing firmly with the students. Bhandary alleged that, during a public programme organised by the Udupi District BJP, Yashpal Suvarna not only made the baseless and defamatory allegation that “Rahul Gandhi remains under the influence of drugs for 24 hours,” but also publicly declared that “we will destroy Rahul Gandhi’s family lineage.” Such statements are highly condemnable, he said, adding that video evidence of the speech is available. Therefore, he said, the investigating agencies must treat the matter with utmost seriousness and initiate appropriate legal action in accordance with the law. He also said it was equally condemnable that other BJP MLAs from Udupi district who were present at the programme remained silent instead of condemning the allegedly hateful and threatening remarks. Their silence, he said, could be interpreted by the public as tacit support for the statements. As elected representatives, they have a moral responsibility to clarify their stand. Bhandary said he would urgently discuss the matter with State Home Minister Priyank Kharge and request that appropriate directions be issued to the concerned police authorities to initiate legal proceedings. He expressed confidence that, based on the principle that everyone is equal before the law, fair and stringent action would be taken against those found guilty, without yielding to any pressure, in accordance with the law.